1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component chip holder for holding electronic component chips in an operation for measuring the electronic component chips, for example. The invention also relates to a method of using such an electronic component chip holder, and more specifically, it relates to a method of handling electronic component chips in case of performing an operation such as measurement, for example.
Throughout the specification, the term "electronic component chips" includes the so-called partially fabricated items to be subjected to marking, soldering to electrodes, mounting of lead wires and the like, for example, in addition to finished chip-type electronic components to be directly mounted on circuit boards.
2. Description of the Background Art
In order to meet the demand for smaller and thinner electronic devices, electronic components employed therein have been so miniaturized that even those of dimensions breaking the order of millimeters are now commercially available.
Such electronic component chips must be subjected to various operations such as measurement, marking, taping, magazinization, mounting and the like, for example, before the same are shipped or mounted on appropriate circuit boards. However, it is relatively difficult to efficiently perform these operations on such small articles as electronic component chips. In particular, difficulty in handling of the electronic component chips is increased with progress in miniaturization thereof.
In order to perform the aforementioned operations on the electronic component chips, an electronic component chip holder, which can simultaneously hold a large number of electronic component chips, has been generally used in the plant of the assignee. FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing such a conventional electronic component chip holder 2, which holds electronic component chips 1. This electronic component chip holder 2 is entirely in the form of a plate, which is prepared by a metal plate, for example. The holder 2 is provided on one surface thereof with a plurality of receiving portions 3, which are in the form of cavities. The receiving portions 3 are generally distributed to form rows and columns along the plane of the holder 2. The respective receiving portions 3 receive the electronic component chips 1 relatively with allowance. The electronic component chips 1 received in the receiving portions 3 are longitudinally and crosswisely oriented along the plane of the holder 2, i.e., along the sectional direction of the receiving portions 3. In order to facilitate the operation for receiving the chips 1 in an arbitrary oriented state, the receiving portions 3 are provided with suction holes 4 in bottom surface walls thereof, to supply negative pressure through the suction holes 4.
The electronic component chips 1 thus held by the holder 2 can be easily handled through the holder 2, even if the same are miniaturized. Further, the electronic component chips 1 can be efficiently handled since a large number of such electronic component chips 1 can be held by a single holder 2.
The electronic component chips 1 held by the holder 2 as shown in FIG. 16 are subjected to various operations such as marking, taping, magazinization and the like. For example, the marking operation is performed on exposed surfaces of the electronic component chips 1, which are held by the holder 1. In the operation for taping or magazinization, on the other hand, the electronic component chips 1 held by the holder 2 are first upwardly raised by a vacuum suction chuck or the like, for example, then sidewardly carried and thereafter downwardly moved, to be introduced into a station for taping or magazinization.
However, in the aforementioned marking operation, for example, it is impossible to mark both of opposite surfaces of the electronic component chips 1 while holding the same by the holder 2. In order to perform the operation for taping or magazinization, on the other hand, the electronic component chips 1 held by the holder 2 must be subjected to at least upward, sideward and downward movements. Thus, there is yet room for improvement in the holder 2, in view of working efficiency. This also applies to the case of mounting on a circuit board the electronic component chips 1 through the holder 2. Further, although the electronic component chips 1 are subjected to measurement of capacitance, resistance, withstand voltage and the like depending on the types thereof, it is improper to perform operations for such measurement while holding the electronic component chips 1 by the holder 2 in the mode shown in FIG. 16. The holder 2, being made of a metal, may cause a short across external terminal electrodes 5 and 6, which are provided on both ends of each electronic component chip 1. Further, a measuring terminal to be connected with the external terminal electrodes 5 and 6 may be simultaneously brought into contact with the holder 2 of a metal, to disable measurement. Even if the holder 2 is formed of an electrical insulating material, the measuring terminal may be displaced from the external terminal electrodes 5 and 6 because of incorrect positioning of the electronic component chips 1, which are received in the receiving portions 3 with relatively wide allowance.